Abta slams transport secretary's summer holiday booking comment

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme about a possible resumption of activity after the UK lockdown, Grant Shapps said: “I won’t be booking a summer holiday at this point, let’s put it that way.”

It will be a blow to those in the travel industry hopeful of a resumption of travel in time for summer, after the Foreign Office advised against all but essential international travel “indefinitely”.

An Abta spokesperson said: “It was a thoughtless comment and not based on any facts about what we know today about the future of the pandemic… it shows complete disregard for the UK travel industry, the hundreds of thousands of people it employs and the struggle it is facing in this current crisis.

“It would be better if the government focused on taking the necessary steps to support the sector rather than undermining confidence in it."